Oscar Collazo and Gabriela Fundora successfully defended their titles with commanding stoppage wins on Saturday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Additionally, on the same card, former interim champion Arnold Barboza Jr. made a strong impression in his welterweight debut, winning a clear unanimous decision against Kenneth Sims Jr.
Unified strawweight champion Collazo (14-0, 11 KOs) maintained his WBA and WBO titles by delivering a relentless body attack that overwhelmed Jesus Haro, leading to Haro’s retirement on the stool at the conclusion of the sixth round.
Haro provided minimal resistance as Collazo began with a boxing strategy and increased the pressure upon realizing that his opponent posed no significant threat. After three rounds, Collazo from Puerto Rico started targeting the body with powerful shots, causing Haro to grimace with each impactful blow. The outcome became unavoidable as Haro (13-4, 2 KOs) began to retreat and shield himself from the onslaught.
Exhausted after six rounds, Haro opted to remain in his corner for Round 7, resulting in Collazo’s fourth consecutive stoppage victory. Collazo connected with 128 of 287 punches (44.5%), while Haro landed 38 of 229 (16.5%).
Fundora (18-0, 10 KOs) solidified her hold on the undisputed flyweight championship with a dominant stoppage of Viviana Ruiz. Fundora, ranked No. 4 among women’s pound-for-pound fighters by ESPN, easily outclassed Ruiz, utilizing her height and reach advantages to secure her fourth consecutive stoppage win.
Despite being 43 years old and two decades older than Fundora, Ruiz’s age was not the factor in her inability to generate much offense against the flyweight champion. Fundora, at 23, effectively used her jab and movement to keep Ruiz (10-3, 5 KOs) at bay, denying her any opportunities to strike. Ruiz attempted to apply pressure but was met with a barrage of combination punches for her efforts. Fundora knocked her down with a left hand in the fifth round, setting up the fight’s conclusion.
In Round 7, Fundora committed to her punches and unleashed a flurry on the challenger, prompting referee Ray Corona to intervene and stop the contest. Fundora is hinting at a potential move down to 108 pounds, which poses a daunting challenge for her future opponents. However, she first aims to ensure that fans appreciate her dominance and finishing ability.
“I just want the fans to go home every time saying, ‘Damn, she got another knockout,'” Fundora stated.
Barboza (32-1, 11 KOs) returned to the winning column against Sims after experiencing his first professional defeat to Teofimo Lopez last May.
Barboza consistently outperformed Sims in nearly every aspect, showcasing excellent boxing skills while sustaining minimal damage, aside from a cut from a head clash, and appears to be a significant contender in the 147-pound division.
Barboza established control early in the fight and maintained his strategy of dissecting Sims throughout the 12-round contest. Although not typically known for his knockout ability, Barboza chose his moments wisely and managed the distance effectively. He prevented Sims from mounting a sustained offensive, either delivering combinations or evading attacks.
The judges scored the bout 117-111, 118-110, and 120-108 in favor of the fighter from Long Beach.
